Customer Reviews

Captain Fantastic & Brown Dirt Cowboy

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I hadn't listened to this album in many years and was pleasantly surprised. Usually things aren't as good as you remember them, this was actually better! There are a couple of clunkers but the quality of the remaining tunes more than makes up for them.

I chose to buy this older CD edition over the mid-90s remastered version because this one actually preserves the dynamics (soft-to-loud ratio) of the original recordings. With some songs it doesn't matter as much but Elton John made great use of the slow-build in his 70s stuff which suffers in the later, more compressed remasters.
I've compared the versions and songs like 'Better Off Dead', 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight' (plus 'Ticking' from Caribou) are WAAAAYYY more effective here than they are in the louder more-processed remasters. You have to crank the volume knob up a little more on this edition but it's well worth it!
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Elton, having conquered country rock and pop rock, now wanted to conquer art-rock. HOORAY!! And what better way to prove you've gone progressive than call yourself 'captain fantastic' and have a front cover with all types of weird creatures from little tea pot men doing calls on nature in front of everyone to half finch half human creatures. In the nude. What a way to prove how artistic you art... I mean are.

And then proceed ten songs that portray Elton and Bernie recounting how life was so tough but they were so brave and strong and overcame all the huge obstacles, all nicely topped off with a smug look of 'IIMM friends with JOHNN LENNNON you know'. And, not taking all that too seriously, it's only meant to be entertainment (although they don't really give anything away that they 'don't really mean it')(!)

But you'd think an album that is basically meant to be inspired by late 60's psychedelia and 70's art-rock would be better than this? Still, 'Bitter Fingers', 'Better off dead' and 'Someone saved my life tonight' are excellent psych/art-rock melodies, with gorgeous vocal harmonies, and the gut-wrenchingly gorgeous ballad 'We all fall in love sometimes' is even better. And if you expect the rest to be as outlandish or as much fun as the front cover might suggest, then you may understand the 'brown dirt' reference. Rating ***

This is Elton John's autobiographical album, released in 1975. It basically tells the story of his life, from his humble beginnings to Rock Superstar of the seventies. There are thirteen tracks on this album, and all of them are great.
My personal favorite is "Someone Saved My Life Tonight", because if its music, its
lyrics, and its stereo separation. Truly great music from a true rock artist! Put
this CD on your stereo and you will see for yourself. A true classic.

A couple of good and memorable songs but mostly an album that just flows. Great listening for a quiet evening of remembering the 70s